TIRUCHI
The Highways Department, which was resumed works on construction on the service lanes along the newly built road overbridge (ROB) at Thirunavaikovil, is hoping to complete the works within the next couple of months.
The ROB was opened for traffic last year even though the service lanes were not completed pending land acquisition and disposal of a few petitions before the courts. Residents had then expressed apprehensions that once the bridge was opened, work on building service lanes and allied works such as construction of a traffic island near Gandhi Road could slacken.
However, the Highways department (Projects Division), which executed the project, has resumed the pending works and a major portion of the service lanes have been laid, except in a few small stretches. Work on establishing a traffic island on Gandhi Road-Chennai Trunk Road intersection has almost been completed.
According to sources in the department, a major portion of the works, except for a short stretches at four locations, and on the Kallanai Road have been completed. While the work at the four locations could not be completed due to pending court cases, work on the Kallanai Road would be taken up once shifting of utilities was completed. “We hope to complete the works within the next two months,” an official said.
Meanwhile, even as road development works are under way between Periyar Nagar and Mambazhasalai junction, wrong side driving is causing much traffic congestion. A section of residents have urged the police to check such violations.
S.N. Mohan Ram, president, Srirangam Makkal Nala Sangam, urged the Highways Department to ensure that the road stretch between Periyar Nagar and Mambazhasalai be widened to prevent accidents.
He claimed that the original design of the project had provisions to widen this road stretch and also construction of a roundabout at the Mambazhasalai Junction.
“Currently, the road is not being widened and work is under way only on carrying out some improvement on the stretch. This is a mere eye wash,” he charged.
He claimed that the road was originally planned to be widened for a width of about 15 feet and area to be acquired had already been marked. But this design is not being followed now, he alleged.
“Accidents will become frequent if a roundabout was not built and the road stretch widened as many vehicles coming from Kallanai Road are bound to take a U-turn at the Mambazhasalai Junction,” he said.
However, sources in the Highways Department said that the works were being carried out as per approved design and land acquisition plan.
The ROB was built at a cost of ₹125 crore including ₹69 crore for acquisition of land. The ROB was sanctioned by the State government in 2011, but construction began only in 2016.
